Toy gun



April 20, 1937.

c. F. LEFEVER 2,077,763

TOY GUN Filed March 11, 1935 INVENTOH C HARLES F. LEF EVER WW Awaw ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 20, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application March 11, 1935, Serial No. 10,553

r Claims.

The invention relates to toy guns of that type in which the gun when fired will make a loud report without discharging a projectile. It is one of the objects of the invention to obtain a 5 construction in which the pulling of the trigger causes a flash in addition to the sound. It is a further object to obtain a repeater, that is, a construction in which the gun will successively produce the flash and report each time the trigger is pulled, without requiring any other action. A further object is to obtain a construction which in appearance simulates the known type of repeating fire arms, and still further it is an object to simplify construction and reduce the cost of manufacture. With these objects in view, the invention consists in the construction'as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical central longitudinal section of the gun;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the operating unit disengaged from the barrel and frame of the Figs. 3 and 4 are elevations of the translucent cover and supporting frame for the sparking chamber;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the aircylinder detached;

' Fig. 6 is a cross section on line 8-6, Fig. 2.

The barrel A, frame B and handle C of the gun are formed integral with each other and of two complementary stampings meeting in the central plane. I The frame is provided with a raised portion 13 having on opposite sides thereof windows which are covered by a translucent material. This material D is held in place by an annular frame D held on the inside of the frame B by cars 1;)? extending through slots in said irame 13'. The translucent material is notched atD to engage the ears D and to thus be held from misplacement. Within the barrel portion is an air cylinder E which is preferably secured in position by striking out a loop E from one s n ar it rea e d d n a in th s loop by a tongue E on one section of the barrel intermediate two notches E cut in said barrel. In front of the air cylinder is the pop mechanism comprising a metal disk F adapted to seat upon a flang E at the forward end of the barrel, said flange being of a diameter reduced from that of the barrel. The disk is pressed towards its seat by the tension of a helical spring F which is inserted through the muzzle end of the barrel and has its forward coil engaged with tongues F struck inward from the barrel and projecting rearward. The operating mechanism is formed as a unit which can be placed between the complementary sections of the barrel and frame and is of the following construction: G is a plate having its rear portion adapted to fit within the frame and to be secured thereto by ears G extending through slots in said frame. This plate has a forwardly extending portion G which is bent into a U form to constitute a guide for the plunger shank. There is also an inverted U portion G at the rear end of the frame forming another guide for the plunger shank. Centrally of the frame portion is an upwardly extending portion G having window openings therein and there is a flange G at the upper end of this portion, said flange having its forward end bent downward at G". The plunger H is of the usual type comprising a felt washer H between metal washers H which are secured on the plunger shank 1-1 This shank has a forwardly projecting portion H adapted when the plunger is at the forward end of the barrel to unseat the disk F from the flange E The plunger shank extends rearward through the U-shaped guide G and is then upwardly offset to form a portion H which extends rearward and engages the inverted U guide G The end of the shank is bent down at H to engage the sear. The trigger I is pivoted to the plate G just below the oifset portion H of the shank, being secured between said plate and a struck-out U-shaped flange G The pivot pin I passes through said flange, trigger and plate. The trigger is preferably formed of sheet metal, being of U-shaped cross section and having the rearwardly'extending bifurcated arm I I is a link between the furcations of the arm I and pivotally secured thereto at its lower end. The upper end of this link is curved rearward and downward and is provided with a shoulder I forming the sear for engaging the portion H of the shank. The lower end of the link I has a hooked arm I which is connected to a spring J anchored tov an ear G on the plate G. In rear of the inverted'U-guide G an obliquely extending flange G is struck out of the plate G to extend in the path of the link I when the latter is moved rearward by the pulling of the trigger. The construction is such that when the trigger is pulled it will move the link I rearward carrying with it the plunger shank H through the engagement of the downturned hook H with the sear 1 When the link is moved a sufficient distance to. contact its rear end with the flange G this flange will unseat the disk F, causing a loud report.

force it downward, disengaging the sear I from the hook H and permitting the plunger and shank to move forward. This forward movement is effected by a helical spring K surrounding the shank and the U-shaped guide G being provided with an abutment G at the rear end of I said guide. The return or forward movement of the trigger is caused by the spring J and this movement is limited by a struck-up flange G with which the trigger contacts.

The means for forming the flash comprises a tubular holder L mounted on the flange G and containing a stick of sparking metal L. This is pressed downward by a helical spring L in the tubular holder and a screw L at the upper end of said holder serves as an abutment and tensioning means for the spring. On the top of the offset portion H of the plunger shank is secured a serrated member or file M against which the material L is pressed. The member M is held in position by a member M which is of inverted U shape to embrace the shank portion H and has ears M for clinching beneath said shank. Upwardly extending ears M engage the opposite ends of the member M to hold it in position and a down-struck portion M engaging a notch in the shank portion I-I holds this member from longitudinal displacement. Thus when the trigger is drawn rearward the member M will move with it, and when the sear is released from the hook H and the plunger snaps forward, the quick movement of the roughened or file face of the member.

M over the member L will cause the sparking or flash.

To give the appearance of a repeating fire arm the gun barrel is provided with radiating fins, assumed to be for the purpose of radiating the heat of the barrel. Some of these fins N are at the rear end of the barrel, being formed by disks apertured to fit around a sleeve N and having turned laterally extending flanges surrounding the aperture forming spacers between the disks. The parts are secured together by soldering and the sleeve N is slipped on to the barrel and wedged at the rear end thereof. There is also a flaring enlargement O at the forward or muzzle end of the barrel which is provided with surrounding disk fins 0' similar to the fins N. The memher 0 is sleeved over the forward end of the barrel and is secured thereto. This member inaddition to its supposed function of a heat dissipating means, performs the actual function of a megaphone for projecting forward the sound of the report.

With the construction as described, it will be understood that when in use each time the trigger is pulled rearward it will compress the spring K and then release the plunger shank from the sear so that said spring will force the plunger forward in the air cylinder, compressing the air therein. At the completion of the forward movement the extension H of the plunger shank will At the same time that the plunger and its shank are traveling forward, the member M being drawn over the sparking material L will cause a rapid succession of sparks, the light from which is observed through the translucent window covering D. To avoid any danger of sparks passing through the crevice between the complementary sections of the flame, the flange G has the downturned portion G at its forward end which forms a shield.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a gun, an outer casing formed of complementary stampings including a barrel, a frame and handle of the gun, and an operating unit secured between said stampings comprising a plate having a Ushaped forward portion forming a guide and an inverted U-shaped portion at the rear also forming a guide offset from the aforesaid guide, a plunger, a plunger shank having a portion for traveling in the U-shaped guide and an offset rear portion for traveling in the inverted U-guide, a trigger pivotally attached to said plate below said offset portion of the shank, an inclined link pivotally attached at its lower end to said trigger and having at its rear portion a shoulder for engaging a downturned hook on the plunger shank, a helical spring surrounding said plunger shank, the latter being provided with an'abutment for the rear end of said spring and an oblique flange on said plate in the path of the rear end of said link when moved rearward by the pulling of the trigger, being adapted to disengage the shoulder from the hook on the shank to permit the forward movement of the plunger under actuation of said helical spring.

2. In a gun, an outer casing formed of complementary stampings including a barrel, a frame and handle of the gun, and an operating unit secured between said stampings comprising aplate having a U--shaped forward portion forming a guide and an inverted U-shaped portion at the rear also forming a guide offset from the aforesaid guide, a plunger, a plunger shank having a portion for traveling in the U-shaped guide and an offset rear portion for traveling in the inverted U-guide, a trigger pivotally attached to said plate below said offset portion of the shank, an inclined link pivotally attached at its lower end to said trigger and having at its rear portion a shoulder for engaging a downturned hook on the plunger shank, a helical spring surrounding said plunger shank, the latter being provided with an abutment for the rear end of said spring and an oblique flange on said plate in the path of the rear end of said link when moved rearward by the pulling of the trigger, being adapted to disengage the shoulder from the hook on the shank to permit the forward movement of the plunger under actuation of said helical spring, a serrated member carried by said plunger shank, sparking material yieldably pressed against said serrated member to form a succession of sparks in the rapid forward movement of the released shank, and a translucent window in the side of the frame through which the light can be observed.

'3. In a toy gun, a casing having integral barrel, frame and handle portions formed by complementary stampings, the frame portion having an upward extension. provided with a window opening therein, a translucent closure for said opening, pop mechanism within said frame including an air compression plunger and rearwardly extending shank therefor, and sparking means including a member mounted on said shank and a cooperating member mounted on said frame opposite said window whereby the movement of said shank to produce the pop will simultaneously display light through the translucent cover of said window.

4. In a toy gun, the combination with a casing including integral barrel, frame and handle portions, said casing being formed of complementary stampings and provided with a window opening in the upper portion of the frame, a translucent cover for said window opening, pop

mechanism within said frame including an air compression plunger and a shank therefor having an upwardly offset rearwardly extending portion, a trigger pivoted within said frame below the ofiset portion of said shank, means actuated by said trigger for retracting said shank and then releasing the same, a spring for moving said plunger forward when released and sparking mechanism including a serrated member mounted on the offset portion of said shank to be movable therewith, a holder for sparking material mounted in said frame above said member on the shank and opposite said window opening, sparking material in said holder, means for resiliently pressing said material downward against said serrated member, a spring for moving said plunger in a forward direction and trigger actuated mechanism for retracting said plunger shank and then releasing the same to be moved forward by said spring whereby the release of said shank by said trigger mechanism will simultaneously move said plunger forward and display light through said window.

5. In a toy gun, a casing comprising integral barrel, frame and handle portions, said casing being formed by complementary stampings meeting in a central plane, a pop mechanism within said casing comprising a plate having a portion located within said frame and a portion extending into said barrel and forming a plunger shank guide, a plunger in said barrel, a plunger shank engaging said guide, said shank having an upwardly ofiset portion within the frame terminating in a downturned hook, a guide on said plate for said oifset portion of the plunger shank, a.

trigger pivotally mounted on said plate below said offset portion of the shank, a link pivotally connected to said trigger and extending upward and rearward therefrom, being provided with a shoulder for engaging said downturned hook constituting a sear, said link having a downwardly curved end portion, a guide on said plate in the path of said downwardly curved end portion adapted to disengage said sear from said hook after the rearward movement of said shank under actuation of said trigger and link, a serrated member mounted on the off-set portion of said shank, a holder for sparking material mounted in a flange on said plate above said oil'- set portion of the plunger, means for resiliently pressing the sparking material downward in said holder against said serrated member and a translucent member covering an opening in said frame opposite said holder.

CHARLES F. LEFEVER. 

